For what it’s worth, Friday the 13th is a really good out of the ordinary lucky day for me as a rule.

You see, last night I was up late doing the 2 hour pee countdown for Ruby and I read all the amazing things that these small town wonderfolks were doing to help us to stay together as a family in the big ole Couve.  That made me cry.  I mean good tears but wow.  I had no idea and I just am so amazed.  I tell ya, small towns rock.  Especially ours.  Haines Junction, Yukon Territory: listen up!  You are made of the best stuff.  Incredible.

Today there were lots of ups and downs.  Firstly we were asked if we’d like to try an experimental treatment which would reduce (but not eliminate) the risk of deafness from the Cisplatin running today.  I yelled “GREEN LIGHT GREEN LIGHT” and then we called Brian to make sure we were on the same page here.  Of course he agreed, we both have the same vision here…long term quality of life.  That’s what counts most in an effort to be inside that 30 some percent 5 year survival rate in the first place.  (Whatever the hell that means when it’s at home anyway).  Well wouldn’t you know it, the drug had been recalled by the factory pending another recall of a different drug.  This SUPERSTAR oncologist pulled in every favor he could and noone had any in North America or South/Central, he tried everywhere.  His next attempt would be in Europe. But that would not arrive in time to save Ruby’s hearing this go round.

So.  We all felt the air go out a bit.

So I went downstairs to peruse the booklady’s lovely wares, found a book and had a chat with this great lady and she slipped another book in my bag.  What a LOVE!  Well you have to know something about me.  I used to cry even mentioning what was going on in shops or about 10 minutes into a conversation with a doctor.  I could still think, communicate and comprehend, I just did it through a hanky.  Well, now I have a handle on it but when someone does something so kind as to slip an expensive book in my bag and say “This is for Ruby from me.”  Well.  That does me in and I’m embarrassingly teary again.  Thank you Patricia Stewart of Barefoot books.

Then…about 2 hours ago, a nurse rushes in,  the pharmacist called up to say he’d tracked some down miraculously and whoot!  She says, “And isn’t that amazing, Friday the 13th and we are STILL lucky.”  We are back on board for the potentially (keeping in mind all of this is a crapshoot) saving a good portion of Ruby’s hearing.  This means she will awaken to the sounds of her mom nagging her endlessly.  Joy.

I watch her resting and I think I should have taken a picture when the physio dropped off an exercise bike and she peddled for about 5 minutes.  Then I realized that the tension didn’t work and she was just goofing around but having a good laugh.  She said she was riding down the hill from the lookout to the bridge and then to the library.  Then Ruby asked if we returned those books yet.  Ohhhh boy.  Well, let’s just say that we’ll be funding the Haines Junction Library with some overdue donations.

Lots of love you wonderful people you.  That’s all that really matters in this world.  It’s love, pure and simple.  And dark rum soaked fruit cake.  Eaten by yourself on a hospital bed while making snowflakes.

And because I always do, here’s another little pic of Ruby.

Oh right and before I forget, the next pic you see of me and her will probably be in a few days when she starts to lose her hair and she gets to shave my head.  HA!  Now that will be hilarious.